Work Text:
Cal sighed to himself. He had finished his homework, like he was supposed to. But there was still one more thing he needed to address.
Something was starting to bother him, he couldn't tell what it was yet. He usually needed time to figure these things out. Half the time Strip and Lydia knew something was up before he did. He took a peek out of his window. It looked cold and overcast. Well, probably because it was? "Maybe this cloudy weather is bothering me. Nah, clouds or rain don't affect me." It was true, Cal remembered days that it rained for hours on end, but he was perfectly happy and content inside.
Then he shifted his mind to the task at tire. This Parental Consent Form. Field trip coming up at school. He needed to get this signed today so he could bring it to school tomorrow. "It'd be better to do this now rather than later." he decided. That way he could spend the rest of the afternoon figuring out what was bothering him. Of course it would be risky, his Aunt and Uncle might see him downcast and worry. Cal didn't want them to worry. "I can act cheerful enough for a few minutes. I've done that before."
He began his journey to find them. The house was quiet, so if he had to guess, they were probably out at the new barn. As the front garage door opened he was greeted by the cool air of early January. It was quite a shock, coming from the warmth of the house to the cold. He fought not to shiver for a minute. "Cold doesn't bother me. After all, I was born in Chicago." he said to himself as his body started to acclimate to the temperature.
Cal wasted no time in heading to the barn. The barn was put up to be a multi-purpose building. Part storage area, place for social gatherings and whatnot. The barn was about a five minute drive, at a moderate pace. Each time he made this trip, he went a little faster. He realized he was getting faster every day, and normally this would make him excited. But today he just wanted it to be over.
Arriving near the barn door, he could hear his Aunt and Uncle. There was quite bit of back-and-forth in this conversation. Cal couldn't quite tell what they were talking about yet. He crept into the barn. It wasn't any less cold but the wind was shielded out. He was pretty sure his presence wasn't known yet.
"Hello?" He said uncertainly, and then remembered he was supposed to be acting cheerful. "Hi!" He said with a forced smile.
"Cal honey, finish your homework." Said Lynda.
"I-I did!" Cal said, and then he realized he wasn't heard. Strip and Lynda dove back into their conversation.
"Oh and we can host all kinds of things here, Strip. Birthday parties, baby showers. And it'd make a great wedding venue!"
"Yes dear."
"Speaking of weddings, our anniversary is coming up. This would be a great place to renew our vows."
"Of course dear."
"STRIP! You're not paying attention!" Lynda said with a mock pout.
"Of course I am, I just can't get a word in edgewise." Strip said with a sideways smile.
"You're not the only one who can't get a word in edgewise." Cal sulked to himself.
"I'm so sorry, dear. I was rambling." Linda apologized and looked straight into Strip's eyes. Strip returned the gaze and stared into his wife's eyes.
This was far to much eye contact for Cal to be comfortable with. "Do they still not know I'm here?" Cal had to look away. When he turned back a few seconds later they were still staring at each other intently. Worse then that, it looked like they might...
"Please-please-Please Please don't kiss!" Cal screamed on the inside.
Cal had definitely reached the phase where 'Public Display of Affection by Parental Figures is Embarrassing.'
Cal's fears were calmed when the two broke eye contact and got back to their conversations.
"Well I have a few honey-do's." Linda began.
"Ok. What's first?" "Hmm. We need to pick a paint color for this place. I was thinking Lavender." "You were?" "Yes. What were you thinking?" "I was thinking a sage green would be nice. We can paint the kitchen lavender." "Are you saying I should spend most of my time in the kitchen?" Linda shot back with a raised eyebrow. Cal could tell his Aunt was clearly dominating this conversation.
"No." Said Strip firmly. "I thought a shared living space, such as the kitchen, would be a more practical place for light purple." Strip expanded, like the gentleman he was.
"Guys I have somethin' it'll only take a minute..." Cal was starting to feel frustrated. He couldn't get their attention. And he was trying his best not to interupt.
"Green is invigorating, energetic." "Purple is romantic, calming and charming."
"I know. How 'bout we paint it Dinoco blue?" Cal said sarcasticly, hoping maybe that would get their attention. No use.
Cal let his mind shift from evesedroping, even from trying to get Strip and Lydia's attention. The words they were saying started to blur. "It's like I'm invisible. Am I invisible? Why can't I be invisible when I want to be, like at school?" The feeling from earlier was coming back. If he could only figure out what it was and what was causing it. He knew if he could talk about it he'd feel a little better. But he couldn't express what he hadn't really processed yet. His mind started to race. Cal realized he needed them. Now. He needed help. He just needed the assurance they were there. He knew a phrase that would set them on their treads.
"I'M JOINING A DEMOLITION DIRBY!" Cal shouted loudly. He thought that was the one sentence that might make him heard.
Strip and Lynda might have laughed, had not they seen how upset Cal was. He looked a little ashamed for having burst out like that, and he was still panting hard from the out of character outburst.
"Cal..." Strip said softly. "Cal can you tell us what's on your mind?"
Cal searched their faces. Where they mad? No. Concerned yes, But not mad.
"I don't feel like myself today. I came home from school in a weird mood. I did my homework like always. And there's this form I need you to sign." Cal managed to slide the slip over.
"Oh I see. Anything happen at school you'd like to tell us?"
"I aced my test." Cal said with a shrug. "We have a Sub teaching us science and history."
Lynda and Strip heard about a substitute. She was filling in for Cal's usual teacher, who unexpectedly got sick mid semester. The previous teacher, an old tug adored Cal. Strip was pretty sure she had taught him when he was a boy. Strip had his own concern over the Sub.
"Anything else you'd like to tell us?" Lynda asked.
"I'm not sure I like my new teacher, the substitute." Cal began. He looked up to his Aunt and Uncle's face. Both had calm expressions, so he felt encouraged to continue. "She said... well, my friend has a studder when he's nervous. She said he'd get a bad grade on his oral report if he didn't stop. That just made him more nervous."
"I can tell that must of upset you."
"When she gave us the permission slips to take home to sign, she said 'Take these home for to your parents to sign.' Then she paused for a moment and then said 'Or your guardians.' The whole class looked at me. This year I'm the only one who doesn't have parents."
Strip was pretty shocked. He could tell Lynda was too. But they kept their expressions neutral. They had suspected the Sub was a little green. But to single out adolescent children?
"I shouldn't feel bad I don't have parents. I have you guys. I know I'm a lot luckier than most kids who don't have parents."
"Cal you know we're always here for you. And we apologize for being wrapped up in conversation." Linda said.
"It's OK to feel a little sad sometimes." Strip begin. "Even when you recognize how fortunate you are. It doesn't make you ungrateful."
"Really?" Cal asked uncertainly.
"Yes really. If you have more then one feeling that's ok. There's even a word for it. Ambivalent."
"So if I'm happy to live with you guys, but sad my teacher embarrassed me, and angry for my teacher being mean to my friend, and frustrated I couldn't get your attention, that's ambivalent?" Cal was relieved he had finally mapped out his many emotions of the day.
"Yes, in a way dear." Lynda smiled warmly. They didn't need to bore him with the technical definition right now.
"How do you feel now?"
"Better. I'm calm now. Thanks." Cal said with a small smile.
"So" Said Lynda "tell us about your feild trip."
"We're going somewhere." Cal said. "But you guys probably already figured that out. Sorry to be a Captain Obvious. We're ether going to an art museum or an aquarium." Cal explained. "It's there on the paper where we're going."
"Well" Strip drawled, "Wherever you go I'm sure you'll have a whale of a time."
Cal and Lynda couldn't help laughing at that horrible pun. While Strip might be an uncle, he had clearly perfected the art of dad jokes.